Today, RDB (Rwanda Development Board) together with ARIPO(African Regional Intellectual Property Organization) kicked off a 3-day workshop for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to promote intellectual property protection and technology transfer.
The event is held under the theme “Fostering Creativity and Innovation for Economic Growth and Development in Africa.”
“Over the next 3 days, you’ll gain valuable insights into the different types of intellectual property that are relevant for SMEs, the benefits of intellectual property assets, procedures for registering intellectual property rights in Rwanda as well as in the ARIPO region. You’ll also get to learn about strategies for technology transfer and commercialisation of innovations.
“This is important because SMEs contribute significantly to Rwanda’s economy. Statistically, SMEs constitute about 98% of all businesses, contribute around 55% of our GDP, and are behind the creation of 41% of jobs.
“We believe the knowledge and connections you’ll gain here will be instrumental in propelling your businesses forward. With a strong foundation in intellectual property and technology transfer, Rwandan SMEs can become a powerful engine for economic growth and innovation,” said RDB Registrar General Richard Kayibanda while opening the workshop in Kigali.
The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) that facilitates cooperation among Member States in intellectual property matters, with the objective of pooling financial and human resources and seeking technological advancement for economic, social, technological, scientific and industrial development. (End)